Sunday, December 17, 2006

Syria - current profile

Human Development Index: 106th out of 177 countries (= ‘medium’ human development)
Arab Human Development Report ranking: 12th out of 20 Arab countries.

Demography
Population: 17.8 million (2004) of which men: 9.1m and women: 8.7m
Population Growth Rate: 2.58% (2000-05)
Urban Population: 50 per cent of the total in 2004
Ethnic Groups: Arabs 90.3%; Kurds, Armenians and others: 9.7%

Economic Indicators
GDP per capita: $1,238 in 2003
Average incomes of wage earners (PPP 2003): Men $5,534, Women $1,584
Poverty: 11.39% of the population are below the Syrian poverty line
(approximately $1 per day)
Maximum Regional Disparity: 19.88% in Aleppo (Governorate)
Unemployment rate among 15 to 24 year olds: 24.9%
Maximum Regional Disparity: 50.7% in Lattakia

Education Indicators
Adult literacy: 82.9% overall; and 74.2% among women
Literacy in 15 to 24 years age group: 94.8% overall; and 92.5% for women
Boys and girls reaching the 6th year of schooling: 93% overall,
of which: boys 96% and girls 89%
Maximum Regional Disparity: 76% overall in Aleppo, of which girls 75%
Females as a % of males in general secondary education: 104% nationally
Maximum Regional Disparities: 60% in Idleb; 70% in Raqqa

Health Indicators
Infant mortality: 17.1 per 1,000 live births
Maximum Regional Disparity: 19.56 per 1,000 in Hassake
Total fertility rate: 3.8%; 3.4% in urban areas, and 4.4% in rural areas
Maximum Regional Disparity: 6.21% in Deir Ezzour; 5.46% in Raqqa
Maternal mortality ratio: 58 per 100,000 live births
Maximum Regional Disparities: 91 in Raqqa and 75 in Hassake
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 47.4% in 2004
Maximum Regional Disparity: 20.4% in Deir Ezzour

Environment Indicators
Population with access to clean drinking water:
88.3%; of which 76.3% in rural areas, and 97.1% in urban areas
Maximum Regional Disparity: 45.8% in rural Hassake
Population with access to improved sanitary installations:
73.8%; of which 45.3% in rural areas, and 94.5% in urban areas
Maximum Regional Disparity: 13.9% in rural Raqqa

Sources: Syria Millennium Development Goals Report 2005, UNDP Human Development Reports, and Population and Housing Census 2004.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

super, thanks. don't you think we should add the Palestinians and the Iraqis?

take care,
Razan

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the info-s.
Could you explain a bit this disparity thing?
I am reading your posts :)

Philip I said...

hovic

If I understand your question correctly, the disparities refer to extremes in the data. For example, the unemployment rate for 15-25 year olds is on average 24.9% for the whole country. In the Lattakia Governorate it is double that rate. So clearly it is a severe social and economic problem that needs to be addressed urgently.

Anonymous said...

Philip I,

Interesting numbers. Although some of the numbers look bleak,others -like the literacy rate- bespeak of wasted potential.

عشتار said...

Interesting data Philip , am amazed with the big difference in average incomes between men and women ,more than triple...
Ist because women dont reach high positions? or are they discriminated in salaries for the same positions?

Philip I said...

Ashtar

It is partly that; not many women reach high positions even though they do most of the work! Those who do rise to the top are so brilliant and articulate, compared to the men, it is difficult to ignore them or underpay them!

In general, Syria holds fairly liberal atittudes towards women at work and that is a good thing. Also economic necessity means that a lot of women have to find work to help support their families.

But I agree, the disparity in incomes between men and women is shocking. It is not enough for society to take a liberal view of women going out to work, women should be paid an equal wage for equal work.